curate
gb/kjˈʊɹɪt/ us/kjˈʊɹɪt/
B2
English
~ 8000
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B2
action
1
select and organize items to show
To choose things and put them in order so you can show them to people in a planned way.
Usage pattern:
to curate [something] for [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse “curate” with “create.” “Curate” means to choose and organize things that already exist, while “create” means to make something new. Another confusion is with the word “cure,” which is unrelated and means to make someone healthy or to preserve food.
Synonyms
select (Focuses on choosing items, but not necessarily organizing or presenting them as a set.)
|
organize (Emphasizes arranging things; does not always include the idea of careful choosing for an audience.)
|
compile (Suggests bringing things together into one set, often with less focus on artistic or brand-like presentation.)
Antonyms
randomize (Means to arrange without any plan or choice, the opposite of carefully selecting and ordering.)
Collocations
curate content
|curate a playlist
|curate a collection
|curate an experience
|curated list
|carefully curated
Themes
media
|art
|business
|technology
|arts_entertainment
|communication
Examples
- She curates a weekly newsletter that highlights the best articles on climate change.
- The streaming service curates playlists based on your listening history.
- A team of editors curated the video content for the front page of the website.
- They hired an agency to curate the brand’s social media presence.
- The exhibition was carefully curated to show how the artist’s style changed over time.
Learner examples
- He curates music for a popular radio show.
- The company curates news stories for its app.
- Our teacher curated a list of good books for us.
- The museum curates special shows for children.
- She curates photos on her blog to match a simple, clean style.
Noun
formal
C1
entity
2
junior Anglican priest in a parish
A junior priest in the Anglican Church who helps the main priest in a local church.
Usage pattern:
a curate at [a church/parish]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this noun is the same as the more common noun “curator.” A “curate” is a type of priest, while a “curator” is a person who cares for and organizes a museum or gallery collection.
Synonyms
assistant priest (A more general term for a priest who helps another; not limited to the Anglican Church and less tied to the specific church rank of “curate.”)
Antonyms
layperson (A member of a church who is not part of the clergy and does not have priestly duties.)
Collocations
assistant curate
|parish curate
|curate in charge
|stipendiary curate
Themes
religion
|jobs
|work
Examples
- After his ordination, he served as a curate in a busy London parish.
- The vicar and his curate visited elderly members of the congregation every week.
- She was appointed assistant curate at the cathedral for three years.
- The curate led the evening service while the rector was away.
- As a young curate, he learned a great deal from the older clergy.
Learner examples
- He works as a curate in a small village church.
- The curate helped the main priest during the service.
- People in the parish know the curate very well.
- The bishop spoke with each new curate after the ceremony.
- A curate often visits people who cannot come to church.
Grammar
Dictionary form
curate
IPA
GB/kjˈʊɹɪt/
US/kjˈʊɹɪt/
Syllables & stress
cur - ate (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (cur)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: curate
- Plural: curates
Verb
- Base: curate
- 3rd Person Singular: curates
- Present Participle: curating
- Past: curated
Word family
Expressions
carefully curated
1/kˈɛɹfəli kjʊɹˈeɪtɪd/
fixed phrase
very deliberately chosen and arranged
Chosen and arranged with a lot of care and thought.
Examples
- The shop sells a carefully curated range of local products.
- Her Instagram is full of carefully curated photos in soft colors.
curate a collection
1/kjˈʊɹeɪt ə kəlˈɛkʃən/
fixed phrase
select and manage items in a collection
To choose and organize things that belong together, such as art, books, or products.
Examples
- She was invited to curate a collection of modern African art.
- The boutique curates a collection of independent fashion labels.
curate a playlist
1/kjˈʊɹeɪt ə plˈeɪlˌɪst/
fixed phrase
carefully choose songs for a list
To choose songs and put them in an order to make a special music list for a mood, event, or person.
Examples
- She spent the afternoon curating a playlist for her friend’s wedding.
- The app automatically curates a playlist based on your recent listening.
curate an experience
1/kjˈʊɹeɪt ən ɪkspˈɪɹiəns/
fixed phrase
plan how an experience feels
To plan many details of an event or service so that people feel a certain way when they take part in it.
Examples
- The travel company curates unique experiences for luxury clients.
- Our goal is to curate an experience that makes visitors feel relaxed and inspired.
curate content
1/kjˈʊɹɪt kˈɑntɛnt/
fixed phrase
select and organize digital content
To choose and arrange online or media items, such as articles, videos, or posts, for other people to see.
Examples
- Many influencers are paid to curate content for brands.
- The editor’s job is to curate content that is useful for small-business owners.
curate your feed
1/kjˈʊɹeɪt jˈʊɹ fˈid/
fixed phrase
choose what appears in your feed
To decide which people or pages you follow so you control what you see on your social media page.
Examples
- You can curate your feed by unfollowing accounts that make you feel bad.
- She carefully curates her feed so it shows mostly art and travel posts.